The voice jolts you awake. It's a familiar voice, one equally laced with patience and urgency. The kind that belongs to someone that's got her docket filled for DAYS, but is forcing herself to be polite, to be considerate. A delicate balancing act, made all the more precarious by the rough edge to her words, afforded by an accent of someone much more used to the countryside than the city.

You don't open your eyes, though. Even with the voice itself commanding immediate obedience, an innate authority in its unrefined slang - you find yourself unable to pull your eyelids apart, as if they'd been gummed together by something. Grit, maybe. Or dried blood. You're not sure what. You're not sure you even care.

"Yuma? Do I have to start kicking to get you to fucking wake up? Because I'll do it, even with these shoes. I swear I fucking will."

Because you know who the voice belongs to. Whether it's mangled to non-intelligibility by an Anima Speculum's vox-speaker, or growled through gritted teeth in frustrated rage, you'll never mistake that voice to belong to anyone else but her.

You finally open your eyes - and see her standing over you. Helmetless. Suitless. Wearing a long white dress with a cleavage window that looked absolutely hilarious on her, simply for the fact that it was the one thing you'd never have imagined her to wear.

Even a clown outfit would fit her better.

You'd have laughed, if your throat didn't feel like it was permanently blocked up by bile and blood.

"M-Miss Malal," You manage to croak out anyway, realizing that you too are helmetless only after you've breathed the words. You pull yourself up to a sitting position a moment later, just as Malal moves to a chair beside you, gathering up her dress and cursing underneath her breath with every step. ...She's also wearing high heels. What the hell? What the hell is this, some costume party?

...And she's glowing, too. Not like being backlit by clever lighting effects, but...glowing from the inside. Luminous.

"Wish it was," Malal growls, just as she plants her ass onto the chair, and letting the rest of her cumbersome white gown drape itself around her. "Fucking thing, I don't even know how I get to move in this kind of outfit, much less shoot a goddamn evil sun out of the sky." She grabs a handful of skirt and pulls it up, revealing an inner lining that's...well, seemingly made out of space. "Look at this. LOOK at this. I'm fucking flashing the entire universe. My panties are being seen by the fucking solar system. It's the upskirt to end all upskirts."

N-no. No, that's...that's not true. You weren't even interested in the truth.

You just wanted to prove to yourself that Malal wasn't the monster you thought she was.

Malal looks at you stonily, before turning away - and then, apropos of completely nothing, starts to laugh. Her shoulders, very nearly bared by her dress, quivering as she does so. She slaps a gloved hand over her mouth a second later, muffling herself.

"Ghgk. S-sorry. I'm..." She starts to giggle, her long pink hair rippling down her shoulders and back in luxurious waves. Malal, your Rank Leader, is actually giggling. Like a real girl and shit. "I know this particular scene should be really serious, like, super serious and shit, but I just...I just can't." After a few moments, she finally manages to calm down enough to wipe at her eyes with silk-encased fingers. A chuckle or two escaping her lips as she does so.

"Christ." Malal finally says, putting her hands down and slapping her knees again, as she once more looks up at you from h er seat. "Here I was being really fucking proud that I've taken every single variable into consideration, every detail taken into account - but I go ahead and miss the one single detail I shouldn't have. The one under my fucking nose."

She gestures at you with a hand that seems much too dainty, much too fragile-looking to be able to break ribs and bone behind ruggedized Culexus hardsuits. "I didn't account for someone like you being...well, being too much like me."

She giggles again. "I trained you too fucking well that it actually worked against me. That's...that's something to think about."

She did? Granted, it's been a while, but you're pretty sure 'being a hypocritical idiot 101' wasn't part of her lesson plan.

The pink-haired girl in the white dress snorts here. "I'm not talking about that. It's more of...thinking for yourself. Doing what needs to be done, rather than what someone with a higher rank tells you to do. Bucking orders when you see that they're not making too much sense, or could even jeopardize everything."

Malal shakes her head. "I trained you to think for yourself, Yuma, and not just follow some idiot with a hat or a cooler-looking helmet. Of course, I'd have preferred that you did it in the pursuit of truth and everything, but I'm grading you on your actions, not on your intent. That said..."

She closes her eyes as she takes a deep breath, as if bracing herself for pain. "...it doesn't exactly make everything we've done here right. Or worthy of forgiveness."

...

"Still, what's done is done. The die's cast, the cards are dealt, yadda yadda yadda, we'll know if the stupidly-intricate Rube Goldberg machine that we've just kicked into activation actually works in a couple of years' time." Malal dusts both her hands, as if patting them clean of the matter entirely. "Now there's nothing else to do BUT wait, and that's always the hardest part."

...

How do you respond?

[]...Did everyone really have to die? What...what kind of plan needs so many deaths to work?[]Plead for Malal to tell you about her plan. You just have to know.[]Who are you? Really? WHAT are you?

>>32349775>>[X]...Did everyone really have to die? What...what kind of plan needs so many deaths to work?>[X]Plead for Malal to tell you about her plan. You just have to know.>[X]Who are you? Really? WHAT are you?

Ah, to hell with it. All three, but mainly

[X]...Did everyone really have to die? What...what kind of plan needs so many deaths to work?

>>32349811>>32349812>>32349813>>32349818Dammit, anons, focus! The plan has been set in motion and we need to hit the floor running to catch up to it and make sure it's not veering too off course because of what we did.

>>32349775>[X]...Did everyone really have to die? What...what kind of plan needs so many deaths to work?>[X]Plead for Malal to tell you about her plan. You just have to know.>[X]Who are you? Really? WHAT are you?I would like ask all 3 but if we have to choose on it's more in character[X]...Did everyone really have to die? What...what kind of plan needs so many deaths to work?

>>32349891What if knowing the truth just makes people give up? Did that ever occur to you? Thing could be so fucking bad that if someone found out they'd just crawl into a ball and kill themselves rather than face whats coming.

>>32349868Yeah. Time's are hard, can't even trust the people who honestly want to help and would try, etc.

But she doesn't have anyone she trusts the entirety of what she does and what she's chosen to do. It's dangerous to do such a thing, and risks breaking the plan, but...there are still some things you have to do, because you are human(lich).

You know, the time after Walpurg must be just as bad for Officios:>a huge chunk of their workforce is dead>a lot of cleanup>lots of girls witching out due to losing their waifus and misery>only the weakened leftovers of magical girls left to fight

>>32350068>"Oh, so your boyfriend died in a mysterious apocalyptic battle? We can fix that, if you'll only sign here, here, and here.">"Thanks for contracting with the 9th. By the way, you're now a lesbian. And a lich. You'll learn more about it during orientation."

I'm a thread late for this, I know, but I really wanted to say this: Mordred, you are not a hero. You are a mediocre coward. You aren't even a great coward, the like of Ciphias Cain or Rincewind would have realized that standing firm the few extra seconds to actually kill the witch would actually increase their chances of survival.

>>32350326This is assuming the Sword of Promised Victory was charged in that time. Which I had assumed was the case, and that she just made it disperse so she could run, but upon rereading I found no mention of it. So perhaps she didn't even have it ready at the time. For all we know the stress of the situation made charging it all the harder and doubled if not tripled its charge time.

>>32350348Well, there was that time that Rincewind voluntarily charged into the Dungeon Dimensions armed with nothing but a half-brick in a sock and having no known way of getting out (because it was either almost certainly die horribly that way, or have the Apocralypse occur and absolutely certainly die horribly along with everyone else.) I don't know much about Cain, but I imagine that he's been in similar situations.

>>32350392"32224249">Just as your retinal display - scrambled as it is - declares that Mordred's five minutes are done.

>"MORDRED!" You scream, risking a moment to turn back at the girl. "KILL IT! KILL--"

I'm pretty sure the Sword of Promised victory was ready. Maybe there was a few seconds left, if we say that there's a bit of randomness in the charge time. We definitely could have bought those seconds.

>>32350462If it wasn't ready she could have said something, if it was charging slower she should have mentioned it previously, instead she dropped her weapon and ran. Pretty clear cut case of cowardice there.Not that I think we shouldn't give her a chance at redemption if it ever comes up.

Did...did her plan really ask for this much death? You find yourself asking after a few moments of being stunned into sheer, shell-shocked silence. Did it really need the lives of all your friends - your only friends - for it to work? To get kicked into gear?

Did it need The Black Templars? Did it need Cavefish?

Because if it did, then it's not a plan at all.

It's some kind of barbaric ritual sacrifice, made to appease some bloodthirsty god that isn't even real.

Plans, no matter what they're for, shouldn't even consider people dying for it to work.

The familiarly-annoying sting of tears pricking your eyes manages to blur your vision slightly, but not enough that you failed to see the flash of guilt flicker across Malal's face.

"Don't you think I know that?" The pink-haired girl murmurs, looking down at her gloved hands on her ruffle-infested lap, her fingers picking imaginary lint out of the pristine white silk. "Because I do, and I've tried everything to limit just how many people needed dying for my plan to work." It's here that she looks up at you, tears welling up in her own amber eyes.

"Do you know that the original draft asked for the entire fucking Ninth to be put on the chopping block? Every single one. You, me, Kyoko, Sayaka, Mami...everyone. Not just us." She shakes her head. "And even with all of those, it still wasn't a 100% guarantee that it'd work. It was just the...the easiest and the most convenient version, as far as these things tend to be easy and convenient."

She angrily scrubs the back of her gloved hand across her eyes. "The final draft - the one I had to do some last-minute editing on, thanks to you - confined the potential friendly body count to about a hundred, more or less. From two thousand lives to less than a hundred, but not after a metric fuckton of legwork, paperwork, and dealing with psychopaths who'd sooner cut your kidneys out and eat it with a side of fries and ketchup."

"Worse." Malal chuckles. "But yeah. If you're asking if I regret it, I do. If you're asking if I feel anything for planning the deaths of twenty girls - twenty of the kindest and most selfless girls I know, despite life taking a massive dump on them from day one - I do feel something, and it's never stopped hurting from the moment I considered it." She lowers her head, and holds a hand over her heart. "It hurts a lot more now, after the fact. I don't think it'll ever stop hurting, even after...well, you know."

...

"You're probably waiting for me to say about how the plan's worth it, right?" It's here that Malal looks up at you. "About how it's so huge that a hundred lives isn't worth hesitating over when the rest of the entire universe is at stake?" She sniffs loudly, before wiping at her nose with a sleeve.

"I don't disagree with you, mind. A plan to save the world...people dying should never come to it. If you have to justify your actions with that, then..." She shrugs. "You're no worse than the monster you're trying to save the world from."

Then why? Why did she do it--

"Because I've accepted becoming a monster the moment I had my contract draft, Yuma." Malal smiles weakly, here. "I'm fine with being one if it means saving everyone else. I'll bear any sin I have to if it means making things right."

Silence, and it's here that black feathers suddenly begin falling from the featureless sky, to land on Malal's feet, on her pristine white dress. Feathers large enough that they seem to be from some bird of prey.

"I guess that answers your second question too, huh?" She says, still smiling despite the tears now flowing freely down her cheeks. "Not much of a role model now, am I?"

How do you respond?

[]This is Girl A's fault, isn't it? She made you do this. She's involved somehow. I know she is. THIS IS HER FAULT.[]Tell me how to fix things. Tell me how to help you. I can't help you if I'm always kept in the dark.

>>32350873>[X]This is Girl A's fault, isn't it? She made you do this. She's involved somehow. I know she is. THIS IS HER FAULT.>[X]Tell me how to fix things. Tell me how to help you. I can't help you if I'm always kept in the dark.

>>32350873>>32350873>[X]This is Girl A's fault, isn't it? She made you do this. She's involved somehow. I know she is. THIS IS HER FAULT.>[X]Tell me how to fix things. Tell me how to help you. I can't help you if I'm always kept in the dark.She's still trying to find something to blame, and Malal certainly isn't a target anymore. It really is all homu's fault anyway.

>>32350873>[X]This is Girl A's fault, isn't it? She made you do this. She's involved somehow. I know she is. THIS IS HER FAULT.>[X]Tell me how to fix things. Tell me how to help you. I can't help you if I'm always kept in the dark.

>>32350873>[x]This is Girl A's fault, isn't it? She made you do this. She's involved somehow. I know she is. THIS IS HER FAULT.>[x]Tell me how to fix things. Tell me how to help you. I can't help you if I'm always kept in the dark.

>>32350873>[x]Tell me how to fix things. Tell me how to help you. I can't help you if I'm always kept in the dark.>[x]Wait...>[x]This has something to do with Girl A's, doesn't it? She made you do this. She's involved somehow. I know she is. WHAT THE HELL IS SHE? HOW THE FUCK DID SHE KNOCK ME OUT FOR TWO HOURS WHILE SHE'S IN ANOTHER FUCKING COUNTRY!?

Don't do the blame thing, but Yuma should be wondering what the fuck is going on with Girl A.

>>32351337This is a bit irrelevant, but I've started to hate NECO a bit less recently. Probably has something to do with the fact that I read The Truth (a Discworld novel) recently, seeing the relationship between investigating journalist and psuedo-noir hero from the other direction. Of course, NECO hasn't been nearly as helpful to anyone as William de Worde was.

You step forward, brushing away the black feathers from her hair, from her dress. Even if more and more of them began to fall, seemingly trying to cover Malal in an entire pile of them.

She has to tell you about the plan, you plead with her. She has to tell you how you can help her. How to help her, period. You can't help her carry her burden if she insists on keeping you in the dark.

"I can't," Malal is crying blood now, twin streaks of crimson inking permanent trails down her cheeks as she continues to sob. Her teeth sharpening into points with every word she mumbles out, cutting her lips, cutting her tongue, making sweet-smelling crimson trickle down her chin as well. "That's the problem - if I tell you, then SHE'LL find out, and she'll ruin everything! I can't tell you, I can't tell Mami, I can't tell Kharn, I can't tell anyone else -- can't you see that, Yuma-chan? No one can help!"

For fuck's sake, she has to stop treating you like a child! You won't screw up again! She needs to tell you, even if just a little bit, even if it's just what to do -- something for you to set your actions by, to tell you that you're doing the right thing! PLEASE!

With the wind howling now, and the black feathers falling so thick and fast that it's practically forming a palpable, material darkness trying to block out all sight - it's here that Malal seems to make a decision, just as her eyes suddenly flicker from bright amber to a fathomless, pitiless black.

"L-Look...look after Girl A." Her smooth, calm voice turns ragged, uneven, wheezing. "Protect Girl A. S-save...Girl...A." She grabs at your padded arms desperately, and you bite back a scream as claws stab right through your hardsuit's material, into flesh, into bone. "Promisssee...me, Yuma-chan. Promise me you'll...see her through...to the end."

"Can't...hold on much longer. Not...meant to stay on this long." Malal drunkenly steps back, her bloodied dress made even more grisly as she vomits a mouthful of blood down her front, just as a hole seems to rip itself right in the center of her chest. Revealing blackened flesh underneath and a clear lack of a beating heart. "I'm...ngh...I have to go. Remember, you promised--"

Yes! You promised! You'll take care of Girl A!

"G-good. That's...good." Malal sighs, just as she sinks to her knees, grunting as two skeletal wings stringed with tendons and gore rips its way out from her back, the falling feathers adhering to them. "H-heh. I...didn't think it'd hurt this much...b-but at least you're waking up now."

...What? Waking...up?

"S-sorry." The pink-haired girl manages to breathe just before pitching forward, falling face-first into the feather-blanketed ground. She heaves a few more breaths, each one shallower than the last, before finally lying still.

+ Sorry...about Cavefish. Sorry about...everyone. +

And with a deafening scream, the storm of black feathers turns into a hurricane, blinding you completely and utterly.

And for the second time, you do. Immediately reaching up with both hands to slap away the one trying to pull your helmet off of your head, even with your suit's pressure seals still active.

Your eyes - gummed up with grit and dried blood - snap open after a few tries, your vision strangely blurry and dim but not enough that you don't catch the bright red warning prompts flooding your retinal display. Warning you about things like 'critical suit damage' and 'terminal brain embolism imminent' and 'life signs failing'. Stuff you don't particularly care about at the moment.

You blink-click them all away, ignoring them all to focus on your rescuer.

It's Enyo. The stump of her severed arm bleeding anew, and her mask a swollen mask of blood and pain.

"Yuma? Yuma, you're up. Thank the First Knight, the Blessed Lady, and all her servants." Enyo, visibly relieved, hauls you from the cairn of blood-soaked skulls and snow you seem to have been buried underneath. "Are you hurt? Do you have any wounds that need to be taken care of right away?" Before you can answer, though, it's here that the raven-haired Karasawa turns to roar at a few other Knights picking through the snow and skulls away from you, among the black-clad bodies of the fallen. "APOTHECARY! SOMEONE GET ME AN APOTHECARY, I FOUND THE EMPEROR'S CHAMPION!"

How do you respond?

[]Where's Cavefish?[]Where's Malal?[]I'm fine. Just...just stop shouting, please. And where's Alondight? I need to let her know that you want to fuck her.

>>32351756>[X]I'm fine. Just...just stop shouting, please. And where's Alondight? I need to let her know that you want to fuck her.Brain damage is the only possible excuse for this. Fortunately it seems like may have it.

>>32351732>just as a hole seems to rip itself right in the center of her chest. Revealing blackened flesh underneath and a clear lack of a beating heart.This just further intensified my plant-related shadowruns.

>>32351808order of importance:1. Alondight promise, because we'll basically never have a better opportunity to keep it.2. Malal, because she was just here and now she's not and we're confused3. Cavefish because HOLY SHIT THAT WAS A THING WASN'T IT.4. Mordred

Yuma is totally one of Homu's. She's totally messed up inside. She's not the same kind of orderly thinker that Malal was. What she does have is the same kind of laser guided focus that made Homu go nuts trying to protect Madoka.

>>32351981First we deal with keeping a promise, then we find out what actually happened with Kharn and Malal, then we can end the flashback cuddling the cooling corpse of our best friend and crying like a bitch.This is a good order.I don't even really want revenge or anything against Mordred, though I do now like >>32352125 idea.

>>32350873>"Because I've accepted becoming a monster the moment I had my contract draft, Yuma." Malal smiles weakly, here. "I'm fine with being one if it means saving everyone else. I'll bear any sin I have to if it means making things right."Tbh, edgy as fuck.

Yes. The "average" range would be from Malal height to Mami height. Mami would actually be just on the borderline of being actually considered "tall". Maybe tall enough to call attention, but not enough for anyone to remark "God, she's tall". Midori and Sayaka, on the other hand, are at a range where people would definitely notice and comment "That's a tall girl"

You're fine, you manage to lie with a level voice, despite the fact that the grey fog in your eyes doesn't seem to go away no matter how many times you blink, or that you feel like puking your guts out with every breath sawing in and out of your bruised lungs. Can she just not shout, actually? And where's the High Marshal? You still need to keep your promise. Still need to tell her how Enyo wants to fuck her.

"E-eh? I, er, I mean..." Enyo blinks at you, trailing off into an uncertain and embarrassed silence - and for a moment you realize that if it weren't for the mask of dried blood covering her forehead and cheeks, you'd have seen the Marshal blush. Then again, she IS already red, so that's probably moot, too.

"...It's alright, Miss Yuma." The one-armed Knight finally manages to find her tongue once more. "The High Marshal is recuperating in the temporary apothecarion your Incubator has generously provided us in this time of need, and...well..." She glances around furtively. "I've decided that I will tell her myself, once she's recovered fully from her injuries. Better that she hears it from me personally, now that we both survived the unsurviveable together." The raven-haired Karasawa gives you a wan smile, before offering her mechanical hand. "I thank you nonetheless for the attempt."

Right. Fine. Whatever. You slap her hand away, making to pull yourself back up to your own feet by your own horsepower. It's...it's not like you cared anyway. Freakin'...freakin' lesbians.

You shake your head, tasting your own blood in your mouth, the sight of a pink-haired girl being drowned in black feathers flashing in front of you again and again and again.

It's here that you remember a name. A name you're supposed to remember. A name you're supposed to care about, moreso now in this time, in this place. Something that has to do with caves, fish, and a whole lot of muscles. Not a lot of brains, but a lot of muscles--

You stop in your tracks, and whirl back towards Enyo. The motion threatening to flood your vision with crimson mist, making the bile rise dangerously high in your throat.

Cavefish. CAVEFISH. Where is she? WHERE'S YOUR BEST FRIEND?

She should be alive, she should be safe, after you broke the black blade back when everything was going to shit--

"You did. You broke the black blade." Enyo nods, and it's here that she unclips something from behind her. A Culexus helmet, sized for someone tall and large, with the resin-cast of a giant great white shark's jaw welded onto it. Gray brittle dust coating the padded insides, adhering to where blood had dried upon it.

No. NO. She shouldn't be...she shouldn't--

Not Cavefish. Not your best friend, who only wanted second helpings of breakfast and working up a sweat in the gym during early mornings.

"We found her corpse only a few meters away from where we found you," The Knight explains in low, respectful tones. "We tried to revive her, but as soon as we got her Anima Speculum off, she dissolved into nothing but ash inside her suit." She coughs, here. "We had our own staff analyze her recorded biometrics afterwards, and it seems that at one point during the melee, she was completely and totally drained of her magic, in the span of no less than five seconds. Something drained her of her strength and will and used it for their own purposes."

"It's only a theory," Enyo tries to calm you, her one mechanical hand clamping down on your shoulder. "We...we don't know if you did drain her of her magic to stop the Betrayer's blade. What we do know is that no one else, not even Malal herself, could have done it unassisted." She forces a smile, here. "Perhaps...perhaps Miss Yuma is more powerful than she thinks she is. Maybe Malal did choose a worthy prodigy and replacement."

"It seems only fitting," The Marshal replies, the sterness in her voice returning. "She did betray us. You, Miss Malal, The Second, and the Ninth." She shakes her head. "If it weren't for your Incubator asking us to find her and give her back intact, I would have challenged her to single combat, right here, right now." Enyo turns to spit a glob of bloody spit into the snow. "Although, with her in such a state, I doubt that would be satisfying as it would be."

...Why? What's happened to Kharn?

Enyo turns to point, and you follow her line of sight.. In the very center of the bloodied, skull-covered snowy clearing, is what looks like a bloodied, emaciated-looking Kharn. Naked except for the heavy snow coat thrown about on her shoulders. Crying. Holding a limp, still-helmeted corpse to her, shrieking Malal's name. Pleading for her not to leave her.

"Mourning." Enyo's voice is hollow, cold.

How do you react?

[]Run towards Kharn, punch her off Malal. She doesn't deserve to even look at her.[]Leave Kharn alone to suffer. Ask Enyo how Malal died.[]Where's Mordred?

I am slightly put out by how we didn't really see much of the events in this flashback due to blacking out. Cmon, Malal vs Kharn the Witch! Due to Yuma just questioning what happened, its tell vs show writing debate all over again, unless Decu goes inception and do a flashback within a flashback.

>>32353045There was. Everyone was set to do it, but the record company that owns the Pillows wouldn't let Gainax use their songs, even though the Pillows were down for it.They made Panty and Stocking instead.

>>32353045>The whole "bloodthirsty sociopathic monster who cares for nothing but battle and sex"See, I agree there, that's why I don't like Kharn as a character, and really am happier when she's not involved, but but I don't blame her right now or outright hate her.

>>32353045>The whole "bloodthirsty sociopathic monster who cares for nothing but battle and sex" thing is a bit upsetting.Agreed. There should be some pointers written down into the notebook to send Kharn the severed head of that one blonde girl, just to freak her out.

>>32353078I don't know, seeing how Kharn became all fucked up gives me some sympathy for her. She got so badly traumatized that she turned into a psycho, and then she retired post-Malal's death and then started wishing for death out of personal hurt and despair.

>>32353209I have never found her funny, or interesting, so actually anti-fun to read about for me.Oddly I actually like Deadpool, though the difference there may be that I generally don't like comics and couldn't give two tugs of a dead dogs cock about the characters, whereas I actually do like MGNQ and generally love the characters.

>>32353209In a funny gag story maybe, in something that tries to be taken as seriously as this it's quite literally out of place / inherently hateable as fuck because she goes entirely against the grain.

You decide to leave Kharn alone. It's...you want to punch her off of Malal's corpse, you want to make her suffer, you want her to feel responsible for what she did.

Something tells you that she's doing a well enough job of that all by herself, however.

"How...how did Malal die?" You manage to ask Enyo as you turn towards her, Cavefish's helmet still cradled to your chest. "How did...Kharn, did she--"

"Miss Malal appeared just as you broke the black blade." The one-armed Knight nods. "She stood in front of Walpurgisnacht and killed it with a single arrow from her blindingly-bright bow. The beast toppled to the ground, dead. Miss Malal joined her a moment later, with a smile on her face." She gestures to Kharn with an expression approaching disgust. "What you see is what is left. The Betrayer, and the remains of our slain friends."

And Mordred? You can't help but see Enyo flinch as you say the name. Where's Mordred?

"Escaped." The raven-haired Marshal says after a moment. "Unfortunately, the Princess is intimately-attuned to her armor, as is every Black Templar, and thus knows how to evade our conventional tracking methods. Regardless, we have already sent out teams to retrieve, to see that she answer for her...transgressions."

It's here that she looks at you with clear regret and pain. "...We have failed you, Chitose Yuma, and in behalf of the Second Officio, I apologize." Enyo lowers herself to one knee, her armor's servo joints protesting at the gesture of humble submission.

"Not only did we fail you as a comrade, but also as an Emperor's Champion. We are shamed and disgraced by the stain of cowardice." She unsheathes her sword from her side, and offers it to you, handle first. "We owe you a debt of honor, Chitose Yuma, and we will not rest until we have redeemed ourselves."

>>32353452>[]Accept. There may come a time when you need to call on their help once more.We might need their help to protect Chiaki. Also, I don't think their honor would allow them to take no for an answer.

>>32353502Except that we need their help for OUR cause, not that of the 9th. We need Girl A alive because that's what Malal wanted. Any other redemption or amends are irrelevant compared with making up for THAT betrayal.

>>32353452>[]Accept. There may come a time when you need to call on their help once more.We've got a promise to keep, and they can help us keep it.I kinda want to ask them to spare Mordred's life at least, fucking up in a moment of fear and trying to hide from it is not an alien experience for Yuma.

>>32353510Morals or lack of thereof aren't directly linked to a character's likability. It's perfectly normal to like an amoral/crazy character if he is interesting or nicely executed, since this is a work of fiction and not reality.

>>32353647This might be one of the cases where it could be justified. Usually Mordred would just end up dead instead, she directly caused the death of too many people with her cowardice. Might as well draw it out a bit.

You look down at the one-armed knight holding out her sword to you, kneeling in the snow and blood and skulls, and slowly nod.

Y-yeah. Yeah, you'll...accept. There may come a time when you need to call on their help once more, after all.

Enyo looks up at you, her bloodied face brightening in a smile, before she bows once more. "You...you do our bereaved Officio a boon today, Miss Yuma. On behalf of the Black Templars and the Second Officio, I thank you. We will not fail you again."

The days meld themselves into a blur past that point.

You remember being herded into the temporary hospital Kyuubey's had constructed near Ground Zero, and hearing how he plans on building a facility right at that very same spot.

You remember Kharn fighting tooth and nail as she is seperated from Malal's corpse, and how you only felt cold when you saw your Rank Leader's lifeless frame being carried into the mortuary, along with the rest of those who perished during Walpurgisnacht. Some were cremated, others were shipped off into coffins, to be buried in their desired hometowns. Cavefish - or what was left of her - was respectfully gathered into an urn and buried in the Officio graveyard, with her portrait placed in the Hall of Anamnesis.

You remember, as you opened the door to your room - falling to your knees and crying as loud and as hard as you can as you see what awaited your arrival.

Twenty small boxes, all in all, piled neatly on top of your bed. Each one labelled carefully with a girl's first name and last name, each one addressed to this building, to this floor, to this room, to YOU.

And one of them bearing a very familiar name, with a picture of you and a taller, darker-skinned girl grinning at the camera with your helmet visors raised.

You won, you tell yourself. You saved the world from Walpurgisnacht, and you survived.

But with all your friends gone, you're...not sure it's worth saving at all anymore.

And the epilogue to the Walpurgisnacht arc is done! This flashback, in all intents and purposes, is finished!

We'll be resuming with Chiaki in the present day next thread! Thank you for everyone's participation and support, let's go and get through the second half of this quest with just as much aplomb! Hahaha!

Feedback is always great, and I think we have two writeups today! Questions answered after it!

From Whence Cometh Iron? Part 1Onceborn05/25/14(Sun)15:10:53No.32353978

“Tell me, my dear, what's the most important thing for a Magical Girl?”

“Is it...is it strength? Strength of the body?”

A smile, a shake of the head. “Not quite.”

“Is it will? The will to succeed no matter the obstacle?”

The smile grew wider. “Closer.”

Pause. “Then...faith. Faith and trust in your comrades.”

Another shake of the head. “No. It's iron.” A pair of hands, warm like a mother's, reached over to my head and began brushing my hair. “Inner iron. It's the ability to bear whatever blows life hurls at you, without flinching, without giving in, without letting go.” She planted a light kiss on my forehead.

“Everything else comes from that.”-

Hunting rogue Magical Girls is hard work. Harder when you're the first response squad sent in to contain and eliminate the traitor, with minimal intel and shoddy planning. Hardest of all when your target is a dear friend who everyone used to love and look up to.

But someone has to do this thankless duty.

“Squad Leader, I've...I've located Redeyes.”

“Status?”

“Deceased.”

“Soul Gem?”

Wordlessly, she stuck out a gloved hand towards me, palm outstretched. Sitting there was a small pile of glittering gold and green shards.

“...I see.”

We were Squad Ferrum, proud Eversors all: once five, now four. We'd been out on patrol when we got word that the traitor had butchered an entire coffee shop filled with innocent people. Our job was to find and contain the traitor as soon as possible—she was one of our best, and if she got away there would be many more civilian casualties to come.

The rest of my squad brought forth Redeyes, or what was left of her. I knelt down to survey the damage.

From Whence Cometh Iron? Part 1Onceborn05/25/14(Sun)15:12:13No.32354010

The traitor had sawn her in half, from right shoulder to left hip, but not before a rifle wound to the right knee had taken off her leg...poor girl. Given the ragged meat and rough-hewn bones, she wasn't cut quickly, either, though the screams she broadcast through the vox had already attested to that. Lying there on the concrete rooftop on some who-the-fuck-knows building in the city's heart, her blood reflecting the light of the full moon, Redeyes wasn't the pigtailed, ruthless, yet somehow hapless killer I'd commanded for three months. Now, she was just a piece of meat bleeding out onto the floor. I bit back a sigh.

I saw a glint light: moisture around the eye sockets: Redeyes had been crying when she died. As I reached out to close the brown eyes that stared into nothing, I recalled the time she'd promised to never cry again. She wanted to grow out of the mocking callsign we'd given her—Redeyes, because she was such a crybaby.

That was Squad Ferrum for you. We put aside our real names and took up callsigns in their stead: new names reflecting our weaknesses, to remind ourselves of the flaws that we had to overcome. Mine was Ironskull, supposedly because I was stubborn to a fault and never smiled.

A voice to my right hissed, “That bitch. That cunt, that shitsucker, that motherless fucking bitch, she'll bleed and scream for this I fucking swear it on the motherfucking Lady...”

That was Blacktongue. You can see why we call her that.

I glanced at Blacktongue. The tall girl's mattock, a pick-like weapon wrought with flowery designs etched in ebony and blue, twitched in her shaking fist. Her whole body trembled with barely-contained rage.

“We'll find the traitor, Blacktongue.” I rose and clapped my hand on her shoulder. “I promise you that. Now focus.” A stiff nod was my reply.

>>32353764....seeing her as a "grown up" magical girl in MGNQ! She was adorable before! And Decu might twist her into something very strange and wonderful. After all, I like Kharn as she is in Chiaki's time, flaws and all.

Yes, I'm aware that I'm fundamentally twisted. I ran A Matter of Taste.

From Whence Cometh Iron? Part 1Onceborn05/25/14(Sun)15:13:22No.32354038

I scanned the three remaining squadmates under my command:

Doghair, because of her obsession with her hair and her vanity. Leadfoot, because she ran like a fat man lugging a hundred-pound rucksack. Blacktongue I already explained. They stood there, some of them trembling with hatred, others stiff with shock.

“Squad Ferrum,” I said, my voice an emotionless monotone, “we move.” I nodded at a splash of blood on the concrete—not Redeyes', for once, but our target's. The fruit of Redeyes' sacrifice. She could have run away when she'd stumbled upon the traitor during our sweep of the area—we told her as much—but she chose to engage, to keep the traitor from slipping away. She didn't have a chance, we told her. She'd need backup.

“There isn't enough time!” she'd squeaked. “She'll get away by the time you get here! I'll engage the traitor and try at least draw some blood. I can do that at least, right?” We told her that she probably couldn't even do that.

“I can,” she'd said. “Trust me.”

We'd never heard such conviction from Redeyes before. Such will, such determination. So we put our faith in the youngest of us and the least of us. And in the last moments of her life, even as the traitor she'd once loved carved her like butcher's meat, she did not fail us. With the splatter of blood, and Blacktongue's magic, we could track the traitor.

As Squad Ferrum moved out, I glanced back at the corpse.

Her name was Alice Lim, callsign Redeyes. She liked movies, cola, and MM x MM fanfiction, and had a tendency to cry at the drop of a hat. She told me once that I was the best squad leader she'd ever had—not that she'd had very many—and I'd sworn to her to one day make her the greatest Magical Girl in the Officio.

From Whence Cometh Iron? Part 1Onceborn05/25/14(Sun)15:14:41No.32354063

Next to die was Blacktongue. She was our best tracker, which the traitor knew, so logically she was taken out first.

We were on the street, moving from cover to cover, heading towards the abandoned building we knew the traitor was hiding in. She was technically an Eversor, but she wielded firearms like a Vindicare and set traps like a Callidus; that meant we couldn't take things easy, even at a distance.

In hindsight, taking the alleyways would have been safer, but we were on a time crunch—we couldn't let the traitor get away, and the alleyways were slower than the main roads. If we take too long, we thought, the traitor would simply snipe us and then slip away. Better to storm her quickly.

The sniper round came without warning, and took out Blacktongue's left leg at the knee cap, sending the severed limb spinning through the air. The traitor always did have a thing for kneecaps.

The air filled with the sound of Blacktongue's stream of curses as we each dove headfirst into cover. I tried to grab Blacktongue and drag her to safety, but a second shot grazed the tip of my fingers, making me flinch.

I swallowed hard. I knew the traitor, and I knew that second shot wasn't a miss. It was a warning. The traitor could have shot out the Soul Gem on my right wrist, ended it right there. But she didn't—she was toying with me. With a heavy heart, I scurried back into cover. Blacktongue was now the bait, I told myself, and going for her was playing right into the traitor's hands.

I repeated those words over and over as Blacktongue's cursing turned into wails, each sniper's round taking off a new limb.

“Squad Leader!” screamed Doghair. “For fuck's sake, we have to help her!”

From Whence Cometh Iron? Part 1Onceborn05/25/14(Sun)15:15:52No.32354088

“You bitch!” Doghair made to leap at me. Leadfoot held her tight, whispering words of comfort and keeping Doghair still with her massive bulk. “You fucking bitch! She's your friend! Go and help her, goddamn it!”

I was about to reprimand her when a voice came in on the vox.

“S-shut the fuck up, Doghair, you colossal pussy.”

It was Blacktongue. I don't know how she did it, but she through sheer force of will she was conscious and speaking. Barely.

“Eversor p-pain-management tricks,” she managed to pant out, sweat plastering her long red hair to her face. “Didn't you listen in c-c-class, you cockmongler?” So you say, but you're barely holding on as it is. “Shut the fuck up and listen. T-take out your sidearm, and shoot the s...smoke grenade on my left hip.”

I hesitated. “The bullet will overpenetrate and hit you.”

“Fuck me,” said Blacktongue, “now we've got a s-second colossal pussy. Look you bitch-ass idiot, I'm fucking dead already, so hurry the fuck up and—AAAARGH!” Blacktongue cried out as yet another sniper bullet slammed into her, this time her shoulder.

“FUCKING DO IT!” screamed Blacktongue, spitting bile to clear her throat. “She'll go for my Soul Gem next, then you! Now shoot the fucking the smoke grenade, you cunt!”

I drew my sidearm. Doghair was still begging me to get Blacktongue to cover. Blacktongue dissolved into another stream of barely-understandable oaths and screams and wails.

I added my own curse into the deluge. Fuck this mission. Fuck our duty. Fuck the fact the traitor just had to have Vindicare training and was a wicked shot with an old Dragunov. I knew the traitor could handle a gun, but not like this.

From Whence Cometh Iron? Part 1Onceborn05/25/14(Sun)15:17:03No.32354114

I took aim at the smoke grenade at Blacktongue's hip. Her twitching and convulsions meant it was hard to get a bead; my own shaking arm didn't help, either.

-“Hey, let's grab a beer after we punch out! On me, of course.”-

Blacktongue's favorite words, always said with that cocksure, shit-eating grin. It was times like those when she became the raucous party girl she really was. I'd reluctantly take her up on that offer, then follow her around, make sure she wouldn't get absolutely shit-faced. I never really liked drinking myself, but someone had to look out for her. And I made absolutely certain she never found out I had fun too.

Why was I remembering this now?

I steadied my aim and pulled the trigger. With a *BANG*, the grenade spewed pink smoke that instantly engulfed the area, obscuring the traitor from us, and us from the traitor. We took the opportunity to scatter and try to reach the traitor's hideout through back alleys, keeping in vox contact to coordinate our movements.

There was an image burned into my mind as I sped through the alleyways. It was a bullet, a round fired from a Dragunov, slamming into the gold-and-red Soul Gem that Blacktongue always wore on her left earring. It had struck home the same instant I detonated the smoke grenade.

Her name was Eirwen Banes, callsign Blacktongue. She liked good booze, hanging out with friends, and sports of all kinds, and she swore like a sailor. When off-duty, I considered her one of my closest friends.

She was the second to fall.-

“As iron without, so iron within.”

-Michiko “Chaplain” Hanayome

-------------

And that's all for this part! Pastebin link here: http://pastebin.com/HPcMyPKL

As I am STRIDING down the halls of the Sixth, it must be known that today... Today is a GLORIOUS day in the land down under! I, Heather Crunch, have been tasked with illuminating the newest recruits that have been vetted by the warmaster! It may be the week's end, but for these fledgling magical girls, it is a NEW BEGINNING! And also a PIZZA PARTY, for I am feeling -particularly- MAGNANIMOUS today!

Arms swinging, back straight, head held high, blood -burning-, I am on my way to shape these new kids to be the BEST they can BE!

Ha! I LOVE my job!

"You smile any wider and your head will fall right off, Crazy Crunch."

A smug voice speaks out of thin air! Have I gone mad? Nay, it's just -that- person up to her usual shtick. Not enough to break my stride!

"And a good afternoon to you too, Madge," comes my sternly worded reply. These words are stern. Stern words to express my sternness at how difficult this apparition can be. CRUEL, MOCKING LAUGHTER gives way to the appearance of a wicked grin and red eyes (lacking the same spark as mine, of course) floating in midair, before the rest of the magical girl follows suit. In her sharply tailored vest and skirt, Madge looks every bit the watch-wearing dildo, save for the tattoos on her exposed arms. And the snake bracelet. And the cape, the cape's pretty sweet.

She's okay. A stick in the mud, but one with a good sense of humor at least.

>>32354155"On the way to bother someone else with your hyperactive nosiness?" she sneers, walking ahead and matching my pace step for step. "Or maybe to cause thousands in property damage to your own Officio?" It's like a little game of snarking off, where the first one out loses. Well I'm not out yet!

"What I was -going- to do was grab some pizza and beer for the newest squad before putting them through their paces, seeing what they can do. Congratulatory gestures before breaking them in." I emphasize such congratulatory gestures with congratulatory gesticulation.

"Or breaking them apart," Madge responds dryly. "So you're putting bad ideas into the heads of the impressionable new recruits while they're drunk. Wonderful. At least getting them tattoos isn't the worst thing you can do." Which is true, considering everybody and their mother seems to have them down here to keep score. I have to make do with collecting weapons from the fallen, which you can't really show off.

But hold on, something is amiss! "Aren't you supposed to be overseas on our opportunistic orations involving the Eighth?" I inquire inquisitively.

Madge spins around and smirks, SMIRKS at me for my misstep in our conversational tango, before she issues a correction : "It's the Seventh, and that was yesterday. You need to get your schedule in order."

Grrr. "That's your schedule, Madge, not mine."

"You should know my schedule anyway. Try reading the things that are handed to you instead of passing them off to whoever's nearest at the moment."

She's putting on airs again, but I don't really have a response for that other than a resigned, "Yes, Your Majesty." Maybe the papers have her real name listed on them.

>>32354173"Damn straight. ANYWAY," she goes on, "the goodwill talks went fine, despite -somebody- telling them our customary greeting is sniffing arses, and getting my title wrong." That's the quickest I've seen her go from smug to irritated in all the time I've seen her. "Damn near every Callidus from every other Officio I've met calls me an Eversor. ...I can tell you, I've never been an Eversor once in my career. I'm not dumb as shit-"

"Haha!" I exclaim, stopping in my tracks as a revelation strikes me like the fist of an angry god! "Rejoice, Madge, for your monologue has given me divine inspiration to enact a MONUMENTAL CHANGE in my person!"

"You're going to stop pretending you're a stage performer?" Nice try Madge but THERE IS NO STOPPING THE CRUNCH TRAIN WHEN IT'S CRUNCH TIME! CHOO CHOO!

Now strike a pose. Strike a different pose!

"My weapon," I bellow out loud enough for them to hear all the way back in Japan, "My glorious, passionate weapon, and now I have a name for it." Strike another different pose! And shout "The Eversword!"

Madge is flabbergasted, as expected. "Ever... Sword?"

Gotcha! "All the time! Do you ever sword?" I say with the biggest grin I can manage.

"Oh for..." The Callidus rank leader buries her face in both hands, no doubt unable to look upon the laughing face of TRIUMPH! Which is my face, MY VISAGE OF VICTORY!

Time sure flies, I thought the kitchen was a bit further off, but the smell of food and heat wafts through the double doors on my left. Either that or I'm still getting used to this place. I've only been here once before. "Well that was fun, but I have to stick to -my- schedule doing -my- scheduled things at a time -I- scheduled." I head in backwards, waving goodbye to the flustered Madge. "Ciao for now!" And turn back to complete darkness.

>>32354195Why is it pitch black in here? And why does it smell like paint? I squint in the darkness, which even my burning spirit fails to dispel, and grope the wall behind me for a light switch. It goes on with a "click" and I'm confronted by paint cans and cleaning solvents in a small, cramped space. Huh?

"Why, Crunch," comes Madge's voice from outside, who I imagine has a very ugly look on her face right now, "How come you ran into that broom closet? You're already in your ridiculous costume."

You've gone too far, Madge! I burst out of the closet in a fighting pose and roar, "It's a fanTAStic costume you... You... Okay, you got me. That one was pretty good." I don't normally like Callidus tricks, but in retrospect it does make me laugh. "Gosh, I don't know WHAT came over me. I must have gotten LOST or something."

"Yeah, you want to go down the right hall for the kitchen," she says, jerking her thumb in that direction.

"Very well, then." Before I go, I remove my hat and do my best curtsey before my most worthy opponent. "Farewell, Your Majesty."

As Madge indicated, the kitchen waits down the aforementioned hall. As I set my amazing hat back where it belongs, I know my destination by the scent of melted cheese wafting through the double doors. Then, kicking open the entrance dramatically, I scan the stainless steel stovetops and find NOTHING approaching what I asked for. Instead, cleverly hidden in plain sight near the entrance is ONE pizza-sized container, ONE ten gallon-ish keg of the good stuff, and ONE sealed container of what I am sure is death adder venom for extra kick. I'm... Not sure where the cooks went BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER because I have to make it to the other side of the building in five minutes or less!

>>32354221Which means hefting the keg in one hand, holding the box in the other, and carrying the poison in my mouth. Then breaking into a FULL RUN down the corridors. Streaking past the utility closet. Past the gym. Past the sauna. Past the weapon rooms. Past the Spider Room - no time to check in on Slam. Weaving around the people who are just TOO DAMN SLOW, and vaulting over obstructions! There would have been some close calls had I not had the foresight to bind the box with sticky tape. I will NOT drop my payload, and I will NOT be late!

There it is up ahead! The lounge designated as the meeting place is a just a few steps away, but the clock is ticking down. Time may not be on my side, BUT HEATHER CRUNCH CAN TAKE ANY ENEMY! At the last second, I dramatically dive through the doorway, tape weaving around everything to keep it from falling, and... MADE IT! I have conquered time itself to teach the new blood all about magical girling!

Putting the precious payload down on the ground, and spitting out the canister, I swiftly survey the serene surroundings to spot my students. The lounge is mostly empty, save for enough cushions to stack to the moon - I should start on that when I have more free time. And sitting in the middle of the room, eyes concealed beneath a hood, is a figure cloaked in black from head to toe that fails to fully hide its... Horns? Small bat-like wings flap on her back, so she might be part bat. Her arms are covered in bandages, sloppily so. And she's gripping a wicked looking scythe as though letting go would cause her to plummet to her death. She hasn't said a thing all this time, staring intensely at the ground.

"Salutations!" I greet exuberantly before I launch my queries, "I was told that there would be at least four of you. Is everyone else late?"

>>32354243The robe turns to look at me, face too dark to make out. It's not even that dark in here. "No," it replies, gruff, grim, and resolute. "There's only me. Ever since that day, it's always been just me. My only companions are pain, and the hatred that sustains me on the dark path I walk : to avenge my parents."

...Seriously?

"Enough with your charade!" I demand, "I can hear your co-conspirators sniggering back there!" They probably thought they concealed themselves well, but my finely honed senses picked up them doing their best to muffle their laughter. NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO FOOL HEATHER CRUNCH!

The robed girl sighs and pulls back her hood, revealing the horns to be a set of ears. "I told you this was a bloody stupid idea," she growls, her tone of voice completely different from before. Robe girl relaxes her posture as she throws off the cowl to reveal a far more typical uniform, including a jacket. Which means those aren't real ears. It's just an ear-shaped hood. Ha, I was right again!

"It woulda worked if you coulda kept your mouth shut!" scolds another voice from about twenty feet to my left, behind a big pile of pillows. The outwitted novices assemble before me in a line before standing at attention. I count three cats, and one bat trying to look like a cat. Which is... Close enough. SOMEBODY owes me a hundred dollars for that bet! Which means I am one hundred dollars closer to financing my dream!

But now's not the time for that. Now is the time to be -professional-.

>>32354258I clear my throat loudly before I begin pacing in front of the newly assembled group. "As magical girls," I explain, voice booming, hands clasped tightly behind my back, "it is our task, our sworn duty, to hunt down those who have fallen to corruption! But to do so, you must be ready, ready for anything, at any time, from anywhere! You must be keen, strong, and cunning! Keen enough to find villainy wherever it lurks! Strong enough to smite such evils! And cunning enough to outwit otherwise overwhelming odds and emerge on top!"

I go on like this for a few more minutes, saying whatever comes to mind. About our mission. About how hard we must train every day. About our loyalties. About working together. By the end, they're looking at me in complete awe. It is a good feeling.

Time to finish this. I spin around to face them again, getting up in their faces as I bellow out, "Is that clear?"

Four arms go up in a salute. "Aye aye, Cap'n!" they reply in unison.

...Russ, what have you told them? I feel myself breaking into a grin. No! Keep a straight face! Don't lose out to the urge to laugh! Do not break! Suppress it! SUPPRESS IT NOW!

...HELL YES! Even my own emotions are no match for Heather Crunch!

"Enough formalities! Now we get to the fun stuff!" I return to the cargo I hauled in earlier, sliding the box across the floor. Bat opens up the box to reveal a most fitting treat : a deep dish, stuffed crust pizza, topped with bits of bacon and crushed glass. And some Carlton Dry plus death adder venom to wash it down. Perfect for making them tough on the –inside- as well as on the –outside-, as I explain to them. They are apprehensive at first, moreso after seeing me spear the food with my trusty golden chopsticks to eat it, but after seeing my greatness indulge itself without dropping dead, they too found it to their liking.

>>32354284There's some jolly carousing done between all of us - I let them get some shots in on me and rated their hits as "acceptable" – and every last scrap, every last drop, all of it is soon CONSUMED by our ravenous hunger! It is then I get to the -true- reason that they are here.

"Now, does everybody have their kits?"

Four heads nod along in response. The kits in question, likely kept in their inventories, hold many tools necessary to a magical girl’s continued survival. A spare grief seed, a first aid kit, and a portable barbecue pit. Because hunger is always watching, waiting, ready to STRIKE while your guard is down! NEVER let the hunger win! Beat it with food until it relents!

"Your task then is to go out and hunt down something for the kitchens to use,” I explain, pacing in front of them. “Something that you must subdue with your own hands! And then make it back before midnight.”

“Then why’d you go and get us all pissed?” queries Cat #2, DARING to question my generosity.

“Remember, you WON’T always be in peak physical and mental condition in battle. But you MUST persevere, is that clear?"

Four hands stand back and salute. “Aye aye, Capn’n!”

“EXCELLENT! Of course, this is -completely optional-, so if you’re SCAREDY CATS, you don’t have to follow me outside!”

I turn away from the group and march back down the halls, toward one of the rear entrances. I kick that open and expose myself to the sun and the elements, trekking for an entire mile before I stop and turn around. All four of the new recruits followed me here. I can SEE the fire in their eyes as they seek to prove themselves!

>>32354305I circle around them, bellowing out preparations for what is to follow. "What comes next requires that you suck in your guts and grit your teeth.”

My instructions being followed to the letter, I will my weapon, my Eversword, into my hands. Winding my arms back, I howl my next command:

“…and BRACE FOR IMPACT!"

Before any questions could be asked, before anybody could turn their heads, but after adequate bracing could be made, the broad part of my Eversword CRASHES into their unprotected backs. I hear my name repeated several times by their bones as all four hopefuls are sent screaming skyward!

“DIIIIIIISSSSMISSED!” I call after them as they become a twinkle on the horizon. I’ve got a fair amount of time before they get back – I’m sure they’ll get back, I believe in them – that I need to kill. Slinging my Eversword over my back and wiping the blood from my coat, I decide to jog the rest of the way back – I’ve been neglecting the fitness of my legs. And that is a –weakness- that could be exploited by an enemy. I’ll have to double, if not triple, my required running for the day, starting right now.

NOBODY EXPLOITS CRUNCH!

And so I do my runs. Fifteen miles becomes twenty. Soon the sun has set from the sky, and the stars are coming out. It’s time for my nightly ritual– counting out the stars in the sky, and then telling them to their star-faces that I BURN MORE INTENSELY THAN THEM, HAHA!

I hope those recruits made it back. They've still got a few minutes to go, but time marches on RELENTLESSLY in its efforts to trample their dreams.

Before I do any of that, I have to check on Slam. Surely after overcoming such a trial, her latent abilities will have come to-

"YOU HAVE A PHONE CALL! YOU HAVE A PHONE CALL! YOU-"

THAT would be my phone. I fetch the handy device from my pocket and put it up to my ear. "Hello?"

"Yeah, about that?" Grrr, she cut me off. "Gonna need ya to come up to the roof. Right now."

"What happened?"

Berry sighs loudly and ominously replies, "Yer gonna wanna see this for yerself," before the call ends. Whatever it is, it sounds serious and demands I make it there post-haste!

Breaking into a full run, I reach the officio building and kick open the doors once more. The halls are mostly empty at this hour, which means nothing can stop me. Up the flights of stairs, leaping up two at a time. Then three. Four. Faster, faster faster!

At the apex of my ascent, I throw the door to the roof open, and am greeted by a most grisly spectacle. The planter boxes have been upturned. Furniture has been hurled about. And everything is covered in rose petals and dirt.

I cup my hands around my mouth and holler, "Hey Berry! What is the meaning of this?"

No answer. There's no way she didn't hear me! I walk out a few steps and make to try again, before realizing I've stepped in something sticky. Looking down, I find some kind of white film clinging to my boot. No, not film, a web. And now that I look closer, there's webbing EVERYWHERE.

Echoing across the rooftop, a low voice threatens me. "Eversor Rank Leader Heather Crunch," it hisses, "we need to have a little chat."

"Yeah, she's... Yeah. Seen her scrap with a couple of people before, it's never worth it."

"You could have told me before she told me to punch her in the face. Fucking hurts."

"What were you gonna do, NOT punch her in the face? Sometimes you have to try, man."

"That's bullshit. Trying got my hands messed up. Trying sucks."

"...Yeah, okay, you got me. Trying sucks. But she'd probably make you do pushups or someshit if you didn't punch her."

"She made me do that anyway."

"Shit."

"Yeah."

"...We'll get you out of there soon, Papers."

"..."

"Just keep the spiders out of your vagina until we figure something out."

"...'kay."----And that's it for now.Thanks to Deculture for letting me write and some other stuff I don't remember off the top of my headThanks to Cooldown for letting me bounce ideas off of her and giving me a lot of good suggestions, including half the dialogue of the omakeThanks to Sanguis for accent and general Australia consulting, including namesThanks to Hat-chan for designing and then drawing Madge's costume

Fall of Liberty: Angel Band 1/17/18 I thinkGermanSchteel!!059cRXVD+M105/25/14(Sun)15:33:04No.32354417

Huzzah! My turn!

Fall of Liberty Write ups here: http://pastebin.com/u/GermanSchteel_2

Characters: http://pastebin.com/TTjRpnrL

> -= FALL OF LIBERTY =- <> - Part Two: Angel Band - <

“Atomic power!”

Snow fell gently out of the windows of the 86th Floor of the Empire State Building. It was a cold December morning that a Doctor of the SSO and the head of a Security Company were discussing alternative energy.

“Atomic power.”

Doctor Clark Savage slammed his hand on the bright blueprint on his desk, grinning. “Atomic power!”

Doctor Savage stood straight, crossing his muscular arms as he began explaining the concept to the very disinterested girl sitting at the desk. “Of course, Atomic power. That is way of the future! What you have here is an unlimited energy, not bound by magic or anything the Incubators may have, no. This is purely man’s creation, this is his destiny. And all within a microscopic particle invisible to the naked eye.

“Monk, Renny, and Long Tom have been working on this for years. It is a miniaturized device which focuses the power of the atom, into clean, sustainable energy. Unlike coal, oil, or diesel which dominate the power industry, nuclear power is limited only by our imagination and our willingness. And our first prototype of this device is in my personal rigid airship and it is what powers it.”

The girl nodded. “Uh huh.”

“And the key thinking here young miss is that, even despite those who would be abuse this power, the knowledge to build these devices is left only to the righteous and the good willed. Even I don’t know how this device works beyond how to turn it on and off,” said Doctor Savage as he sat in his big leather chair. The girl was a bit jealous, that chair looked comfy.

>>32354417The girl nodded again. “So, when will it be ready? You know, so I can… buy it.”

“Buy it?” Doctor Savage busted into hearty laughter at that. “Oh, goodness, you aren’t buying this thing! I understand you run a Security Company, and that’s fine and all, but this design is not for sale. Quite the contrary, when all the kinks are worked out and we can find a way to mass produce this design, I plan on making it available to all. And I understand that once all people attain this amount of power, we might as well end all war as we know it. Think about it, would a nation really go to war if he knew the other could end it at just the touch of a button?”

The girl glared at him, her arms crossed.

Doctor Savage’s smile faded a bit as he folded his hands together and rested them on his desk. “Ah, I can see you feel like I’ve wasted your time, Miss Deladrier. I apologize, but that’s the reality of the situation.”

Deladrier sighed. “Doctor Savage, I understand you like bragging about your so-called breakthroughs, but my time is precious. I came here to see it, and I would like to see it now.”

“Ah, well the prototype…” Doctor Savage stood from his chair, walking over to one of the many filing cabinets lining one wall of his office. His office was built like an office for a CEO of a business company, huge with a big wall of windows with an amazing view of the city. On one wall were filing cabinets, for work and other information, and on the other were trophies of various conquests. Artifacts from South America, Newspaper clippings detailing victories over criminals and terrorists, all good memories for Doctor Savage. “I’m sorry, Miss Deladrier, but it is out of my hands.”

“Really. I believe Operator #5 has taken possession of it for now, for studying purposes.” Doctor Savage took a file out of a shelf, then quickly flipped through .

“Great!” Deladrier threw her arms in the air, and then let them flop at her side. “So I come all the way from France just to hear that the one thing I need to make my company a bit more powerful, is in the hands of some paranoid basement dweller!”

Doctor Savage nodded. “That’s so. I do deeply apologize again. If it were anything else, I’d definitely would see what I can do considering the services you provided the SSO but this is different, Miss Deladrier.”

With a click, the door opened up. Doctor Savage and Deladrier looked to see the new arrivals. Walking into the room was a pair of security guards, escorting in three girls and a Messenger of Magic. “Ah, you’ve arrived!” said Doctor Savage as he stood up and walked around the desk.

Deladrier glared at Sumire as Liberty quickly walked over to hug Doctor Savage. As they began catching up, Deladrier said, “Ah, Sumire. I see you’re still working for the SSO. That’s a real surprise.”

Sumire crossed her arms, giving Deladrier the mean eyes right back at her. After a few seconds, Sumire said in her most nasally childish voice, “Nani sore?”

Deladrier stood up, her eye twitching. “Oi, don’t you try fooling me with your godawful language, chienne. I can swear in my native tongue just as much as you can!” She jabbed Sumire in the chest with her index finger.

The third Magical Girl forced herself in between, smiling nervously. “Now, guys. We don’t need to argue or fight. Sumire, Jeanine’s been a valuable help to the SSO and she’s a good friend to us as well!” She smiled at Jeanine, a bit bashfully. “It’s nice to see you again!”

“Right, right, sit down,” said Doctor Savage. “Everyone, make yourselves comfy. Chris, it’s good to see you again, truly it is.” He sat down, grinning at her. “How are things on your end?”

Christine and the girls found chairs to sit down in as she said, “Same business, Doctor Savage. We’ve actually recently recovered an artifact for the SSO called a Grief Seed.” Kirby leapt onto the desk, landing to a sitting position silently. Christine looked at him, narrowing her eyes, and then looked curiously at Doctor Savage. “You wouldn’t happen to know what that is, right?”

Doctor Savage scratched his chin, his grin gone and replaced with a heavy frown. He glanced down at Kirby and then back at Christine. “Christine, I will be honest with you. Grief Seeds are a uh… anomaly of sorts. They aren’t particularly in my area of expertise so to speak.”

Sumire crossed her arms, rolling her eyes as she said, “What isn’t in your area of expertise.”

“You know, don’t you, Doctor Savage?” said Christine.

“I do.” He leant forward on the desk, looking Christine straight in the eye as he said, “My issue is that I do not believe you, Sumire, Rana, or even Miss Deladrier here are… ready for the information that would come with such a reveal.”

The room was quiet for a moment. Everyone glanced at each other, nervously.

>>32354478Sumire said, “Most of us have been Magical Girls under Kirby’s contract for years. How come we can’t know?”

Kirby said, “Because the information is irrelevant and unnecessary.” He looked over at Doctor Savage. “Have you told them yet?”

“Oh right.” Doctor Savage motioned over to a newspaper on top of a filing cabinet, to which Kirby galloped off the desk to retrieve it. Christine and Sumire looked at each other, skeptical. Then, Doctor Savage said, “Christine, you follow the news lately?”

“No.” Christine was handed the newspaper by Kirby. The headline hit her and her fellow Magical Girls like a freight liner.

HITLER DISAVOWS MAGISCH KORPS, DECLARES THEM TERRORISTS

Doctor Savage nodded. “Came in yesterday. There have been reports of the Magisch Korps targeting various researchers, scientists, and other great minds regardless of nationality. Just last week, Engelhardt was spotted in China and is suspect in the murder of Doctor Hiraku Sato. Sato was a biochemist looking into something called power threads.”

Rana’s eyes widened. “Power threads?”

“They go by various names. Germans call them Lebenfaser, Japanese call them Seimei Sen’i. It’s a very mysterious sort of organism that manifests itself as a fiber of sorts. Parasitic, but when sewn right, the user is granted immense power.” Doctor Savage looked down at Kirby. “I assume our good friend here doesn’t know anything about this?”

Kirby shook his head. “They are what you may refer to as a wildcard. We do not possess enough information on power threads at current. But this is irrelevant, the Magisch Korps is hunting down researchers for some unknown purpose.”

Christine nodded. “Right. That was last week right?” She snapped her finger, looking concerned at Doctor Savage. “Are you sure you’re not a target, Doctor Savage?”

“Well…” Rana twiddled with her fingers. “Doctor Savage, you’re a very prominent inventor and researcher in so many fields. I mean, you’re bigger than Howard Hughes! You helped perfect rigid airship technology, and the Atlantropa project certainly wouldn’t have succeeded without your intellect.”

Kirby looked up at Doctor Savage. “Agreed. Perhaps you should go underground until it blows over, Doctor Savage.”

Christine’s ears perked up, and she quickly stood to look at the door. Before anyone could ask, the door burst open. Security guards. “Sir!” One of them ran up to Doctor Savage, a Tommy Gun in hand. “There are men on the street outside, gasmasks, armbands with the Magisch Korps emblem. We need to get you some place safe!”

“Speak of the devil!” Doctor Savage jumped out of his chair and started opened up his drawer to reveal a little detonator. “Quickly, to my elevator then, I’ve already rigged the office with enough firebombs to-“

The window shattered into a million pieces. Everyone hit the floor, covering themselves. Christine stood, looking to see their all-too familiar assailant.

>>=[| THE STORM ACE |]=<<

He cocked his gun, the same 30mm cannon he wielded at Skull Island. All the guards stood and pointed their guns at him. “Freeze! Drop the gun! Hands in the air!” they all screamed at him. The Storm Ace looked around, quiet, and then simply dropped the gun on the desk with a loud thud. He reached for the sky.

“Uh, big mistake,” said Sumire as she stood. “He doesn’t need the gun.”

>>32354528Before he could react by attempting to fight the Storm Ace, Doctor Savage was dragged back into the hallway by Rana and Christine. Sumire, Deladrier, Kirby, and two guards quickly followed, shutting the door behind him. The fifteen guards remaining cocked their guns and again yelled for the Storm Ace’s surrender.

The group ran down the hallway to the elevator. Deladrier quickly pressed the call button, and they all turned to the office as the sounds of screams and gunfire started. They could hear bones breaking, spines snapping, and blood being splattered as they stood by the elevator.

The door exploded. Savage hit the detonator, releasing a great burst of flame as his works were incinerated. The Storm Ace jumped out, his arm on fire and covered in blood. He burst forth at a sprint towards them.

She brought up her dual M1921 Thompsons. The guns blasted, the ammunition smacking the Storm Ace and buckling him to a stop. He knelt, raising his arms to absorb the fire.

Then the guns stopped, with a thud and a powerful silence.

Sumire yelled, “That’s my cue! He’s mine!”

>>=[| MAGICAL GIRL LIGHTNING! |]=<<

Lightning sped away from the group right at him, naginata held high. The Storm Ace’s response was to stand and clothesline her. She didn’t even hit the ground before he grabbed her neck and tossed her right back at the elevator doors with a thud.

>>32354555The Storm Ace dusted some .45 ACP poking into his sleeve, then began running at the elevator.

Deladrier was last to enter, and she turned and braced herself on the doors. She took a deep breath.

>>=[| MAGICAL GIRL SIREN! |]=<<

Siren screamed. The wallpaper shredded off the walls, the floor tiles snapped and shattered, the very air shook and distorted. The Storm Ace slowed as his armor buckled and weakened until the very ceiling came down on top of him, burying him under rubble and steel girders. Siren quickly backed up and let the doors close and the elevator descend.

…

…

“Jeez,” said Lightning to a heavily panting Siren. “I’d hate to see what you’re like in bed.” Siren simply glared at her, her fists balled up and resting on her dual pair of short axes.

Christine said, “If that is the Storm Ace, all we’ve done is slow him down.”

The elevator slowed to a halt as it reached ground level. With a ding, the doors slid open and the group ran out towards the front entrance. Security guards regrouped with them from various parts of the lobby as they made their way out. Christine said, “We’ll get you up into hiding, Doctor Savage then we can-“

They stepped outside, only to find throngs of screaming people running from a platoon of gasmasked soldiers wearing the Magisch Korps emblem on armbands or their collars. Gegenmagischtruppen mostly, and even a few Storm Elites. Christine’s ears perked up, and she brought the group back to avoid a rain of shattering glass and debris. Down came the Storm Ace, a three point landing which shattered the ground beneath him.

He brought up his massive cannon, and the rest of the Magisch Korps troopers brought their guns up as well.

>>32354555Their shells, bullets, and particles bounced and cracked off Liberty’s shields. After a solid minute, their guns ran dry, and they dropped them to draw stunprods, machetes, and riot shields.

“Siren!” yelled Liberty. Siren leapt out from the group and steadied herself. She took a huge breath and wailed as loud she could.

The ground shook and cracked. Windows shattered and broke. Car tires popped and exploded. The troopers all buckled, gripping their heads and screaming in pain as the sound of her scream pierced their ears. The ones who weren’t deafened had their bones shattered by the sonic waves. The ones who didn’t have their bones shattered had their heads explode.

All except for the Storm Ace, who braced himself on the ground. His armor was dented and shattered from the previous attempt. But slowly, he advanced step by step. The very air trembled as Siren roared at him with all her might. Debris slammed into him as he got closer and closer.

“This ain’t working!” yelled Bomber.

Doctor Savage said, “We’ll take the flea run!”

“The what!?” screamed Lightning. She didn’t get any clarification as Liberty, Bomber, Kirby, and Doctor Savage ran inside. Lightning grabbed Siren by the collar, stopping her scream as she dragged inside. They ran back inside the building, the guards quickly coming to lock and barricade the door behind them. Doctor Savage led them down the lobby and towards the front desk.

Lightning said, “I know you might want to admire that décor, but you realize that Big McLargeHuge is right behind us?” The guards braced the door as the Storm Ace attempted to force himself through.

Doctor Savage quickly hit a button under the desk. The desk split in two then slid out to reveal a hidden staircase right underneath.

Siren said, “You have a secret tunnel under the Empire State Building?”

>>32354626“Well,” Doctor Savage shrugged at that. “Technically, under all of New York. You have to be prepared for these things.” He quickly headed down the steps, Liberty and Kirby following. Siren follows suit, as did Bomber. Lightning looked down, a bit reluctant, then the doors burst open. The guards all shot and fired at the Storm Ace before being tossed and thrown aside.

Lightning quickly ran down the stairs.

The stairs ran like a spiral and the steps were steep like a tower in a castle. Doctor Savage kept a flashlight up to help pierce the darkness and light the way.

“Kirby,” said Liberty. “Listen, maybe this would be a good time to enlighten us about Grief Seeds or whatever we’re missing out on?”

Kirby, whom was sitting on Doctor Savage’s shoulder simply said, “You think being chased by a madman who hunts Magical Girls in a dark tunnel is a good time for that.”

Lightning yelled, “Forget it! It’s not like you’re going to get anything out of Kirby! You remember the Atlantis thing?”

“How could I forget,” said Liberty, as if wanting to forget that.

The group paused as they heard stone grinding and rending above them. Bomber said, “We have to go faster!” The group immediately went faster down the steps and down towards the steel door. Doc Savage quickly pulled a loose stone out next to it and shoved his hand into the hole.

“What are you doing!?” yelled Siren.

“It’s biolocked,” said Doctor Savage. He smiled, looking back at Siren. “Made it myself!” The door slid open, letting everyone past. Lightning and Siren quickly shoved the door closed behind themselves. Liberty looked to see a sleek subway car sitting on the rails. This was probably part of the new subway lines being built in New York. “Everyone in!” yelled Doctor Savage as he opened the car up.

>>32354651Everyone piled into the car. At the same time, the Storm Ace tore the steel door open and forced himself through. Doctor Savage quickly hit the close doors button, and the doors began sliding shut. Seeing this, the Storm Ace ran to the car as it began moving forward. He tore right through the doors, knocking Siren on her butt.

Doctor Savage stuck to the controls as the Magical Girls began engaging the Storm Ace in proper close quarters combat. The car sped through the line, rocking as the Storm Ace punched, kicked, or occasionally bumped his head into the ceiling. The Magical Girls meanwhile were struggling to get an angle on him in the tight space of the tram.

“I got him!” Lightning burst from the front of the car to the back where the Storm Ace stood. She thrust her naginata. The Storm Ace slapped it aside and headbutted her. She flew backwards right into the other Magical Girls, striking them down like bowling pins.

Siren, who was lying down underneath Lightning, said, “Got him, huh?”

The Storm Ace stepped forward, looking down on them. But then, Doctor Savage called out, “Hey!” The Storm Ace looked up at Doctor Savage, wielding an amazingly large gun with an amazingly large barrel. “Say hello to my latest invention.”

The gun roared and buckled in Doctor Savage’s grip. The Storm Ace was forced back to the very end of the tram as .75 Caliber rocket-propelled bullets exploded against his body. His blood started painting the walls as his back made contact with the rear of the car.

“Holy cow!” screams Bomber as she held her hands on her ears. “That’s loud!”

>>32354677The gun clicked as it ran dry. Liberty stood up and huffed. It was time. She knelt down and began spinning her shields up, running them white hot. They whined as Liberty powered them up. She charged for the coup de grace.

>>=[| FINISHING MOVE |]=<<>>=[| THE LIBERTY BASH |]=<<

The Storm Ace exploded out the back, flying right into the tracks limply. Every bone in his body was broken. The car raced along, its lighting now burst and shot, only managing to speed along by sheer force of will and Doctor Savage’s own invention. Lightning stood next to a panting Liberty.

“Whoo,” Lightning crossed her arms, smirking. “Nice one, Libby.”

Liberty hunched over, her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. “Thanks.”

…

…

The flea run had taken the group to a non-descript little warehouse on the Hudson river. There, Liberty, Lightning, Bomber, and Siren were being debriefed by Doctor Savage, Kirby, and Operator #5.

Or rather, Operator #5 through a TV screen where his face couldn’t be seen due to the poor lighting in his office.

>>=[| OPERATOR #5 |]=<<>>=[| Officer of the Strategic Services Offices and head of the Magical Girl Division |]=<<

The most that could be seen of Operator #5 was his skull ring as he rested his head on his hand, listening to every detail of Liberty’s thorough explanation of the events leading to their escape. “Right,” he said. The most Liberty could make out from his identity was his rather faint but noticeable southern accent, probably Appalachian. “And I assume Doctor Savage and Kirby are safe?”

Liberty nodded, looking over down the warehouse filled with cars, boats, planes, everything Doctor Savage needed. Bomber yelled, “Amazing! There’s so much- Is that a Rolls-Royce Phantom III? Oh! And that one’s a Chrysler Airstream! Oh, wow!” Lightning and Siren walked behind her as she ran down the line.

Doctor Savage carried a suitcase full of essentials, Kirby on his shoulders as he followed along. “Indeed, I still have your Panzer IV D2 with the anti-magic gun on it.”

“Amazing!” said Bomber. Then she looked over, and immediately she squealed with Christmas joy. “A Phantom Corsair! You- You have a Phantom Corsair! Oh my god, it’s a Phantom Corsair! You have a Phantom Corsair ohmygodohmygodohmygod!” She skipped over to the incredibly streamlined, sleek, black car, squeaking with delight.

Liberty placed her hands on her hips, then looked back at the screen. “Doctor Savage is going to go into hiding, you know where, right?”

“Of course.” Operator #5 leant back, kicking his feet up onto his desk and clasping his hands together in his lap. “I won’t say where in case the Magisch Korps has our codes but he’ll be out of danger until we secure our fronts.”

“Speaking of which, sir,” Liberty frowned a bit. “I was wondering, about Grief Seeds, what exactly are they? What they do?”

At that, Operator #5 was silent.

“Are you not going to tell me?” said Liberty.

“It is classified information,” said Operator #5. “I know you may feel entitled to it knowing your record with the SSO but… Liberty-“

“We keep the information on a need-to-know basis. It’s irrelevant to you considering your line of work and who you work with. Siren was contracted by Kirby, Lightning was also contracted by Kirby as was Bomber. Kirby’s been an invaluable aide to the SSO and he knows when information should be withheld.” He gestured lazily with his hands. “This information is to be withheld.”

>>32354765Liberty remained silent. Withholding information, that was something she hadn’t seen since the early days of her career. But what made this so secret? Not even Doctor Savage would tell her, and he’s practically her replacement father. But regardless, she nodded slowly.

“Good luck, we’ll call if you are needed,” said Operator #5. The screen clicked to static.

“And this thing, like I said, I had it prepared in the eventuality something would follow me into the flea run!” he said as he held up his gigantic gun to the curious girls. “Fires large caliber rocket-assisted explosive bullets. It’s a prototype mind you, but I feel like it’s the way of the future! I call it, the Rocket Rifle!”

Siren harrumphed at that. “It’ll take ages for something like that to catch on.”

Liberty walked over, rubbing her wrists and shaking out her shoulders. “Right, we got to get moving. Doctor Savage, I assume you and Kirby will be retreating to the Fortress of Solitude?”

“Of course!” said Doctor Savage as he put on a fedora. “We’ll be-“

“Wait.” Lightning looked in disbelief between Liberty and Doctor Savage. “Fortress of what?”

“Fortress of Solitude!” Doctor Savage grinned as he stood straight and waved his arm. “It’s my personal research station near the Arctic Circle! I build there, I rest there, and I retreat there when I need solace!”

Siren and Lightning looked at each other, dumbstruck. Bomber meanwhile was ecstatic. “Can I come with you!?”

“Actually,” said Liberty. “I need you and Lightning to come with me. Siren, could you make sure Doctor Savage reaches the Fortress of Solitude safely?”

Siren nodded. “I’ll guard him with my life.” With that, Doctor Savage hugged Liberty goodbye. He left with Siren and Kirby in one of his cars, the Phantom Corsair to be precise. Bomber groaned, saddened. Liberty knew how much she wanted to ride in that one of a kind vehicle.

Liberty smiled, patting Lightning on the shoulder as she led her and Bomber over to another car. “Lightning, Bomber. We are going to do something we haven’t done in a very long while.” Lightning and Bomber paused in step. Bomber looked a bit confused, quickly adjusting her glasses. Lightning knew however, and she grinned with all the excitement of a girl on Christmas.

Lightning shook her head, laughing a little. “You don’t mean-“

“I do mean, and that’s why you’ll plan it, Lightning,” said Liberty. She opened the car door, allowing Bomber to drive.

“So that’s it then,” said Lightning as she rode shotgun. Liberty sat in the backseat.

This isn't as long as some of the others, but Decu insisted. Take this as a preview, there's a lot more where this came from!

- - - - -

“You shall be suspected from all duties, privileges, and responsibilities for three days.”

Hino Setsuna flinched, good eye widening in confusion. Not only to have her request denied, but to be pulled from the roster like she couldn't handle the rejection. “I must protest, I--”

She quelled under the hard gaze of the Warmaster, who was clearly not in the mood to listen to excuses at such a late stage in this little game.

Three day...? What does... Oh. OH. Setsuna smiled, feel the scar on her lip pull, twisting the expression into little more then a sneer.

Yes, three days should prove plenty of time.

- - - - -

Stalking into the hall, Setsuna's mind worked quickly, furiously. She hadn't expected to have to move this quickly, with so little preparation. Still, she knew those who hesitated lost, and she had no intention on letting this one slip through her grasp.

She nodded to the other girl waiting patiently by the elevator. “Iwakura-san. I take it your request went well?”

The crimson haired girl flashed her a brilliant grin. “Yep, I'm all set to go! I can't wait, this is something I've been wanting to do ever since I was contracted! How... how about you, Hino-chan? How'd yours go?”

Stepping into the elevator together, Honoka hit the 'down' button absently as she turned to her companion. She blinked, though, as it gave a low buzzer sound, denying her request. “What the-?” She frowned, leaning to look at the console. “Why is it- wait.”

>>32354902Glancing back to Setsuna, she cocked her head to the side. “Did... something happen? In there?”

Setsuna looked to the side, inwardly sighing to herself. “I... my request was denied. And I was suspended.”

Hanoka's eyes widened. “Suspended? Over a transfer request? Where'd you ask to go, the moon?!”

The other girl simply shook her head.

“Well... I don't think there's much we can do then, Hino-chan. The building isn't designed to let you walk around freely if you don't have your ID anymore. Do... would you like me to walk down with you?”

Setsuna shook her head, realizing that while she had been given a chance by the Warmaster, clearly it wasn't going to be easy. “No, but thank you. I think a nice walk will give me a chance to clear my head.”

- - - - -

It... proved to be a much longer walk then she had originally thought. A half hour walk down endless flights of stairs, one foot, one step, at a time. It gave her plenty of time to think, and she had confirmed two things, at least.

Fist, all the doors the whole way down had be barred to her. Before, she had never considered how much freedom her badge had given her; being a contracted girl gave her a lot more access then the pencil pushing office workers on the lower floors. Now that she was missing it, though, it's like there was a whole new world that she had never noticed before. Magnetic badge readers as far as the eye could see, and there were everywhere; doors, windows, even the fire escape!

>>32354945She had stopped trying the doorknobs after the first ten floors, and given up on knocking on them trying to get someone's attention by the twentieth. It was a strange feeling, being able to see into hallways and sometimes offices, watching for a moment the people inside, but not once had anyone glanced her way, like she was a ghost. If it hadn't been for the security cameras installed discretely into the corners at every fifth flight, she'd think that no one knew she had essentially gotten trapped in here.

Second, and this was not to understated in the least, she had decided that she had really, really, REALLY FUCKING HATED stairs. While she had to climb quite a few of them in her carrier so far, as Vindicare standard M.O. tended to involve getting high and staying there until your target found your sights, she was really starting to reconsider swapping the Eversor training. Just because they always seemed to prefer elevators, from what she had seen.

Secretly she suspected that they were just trying to get ambushed while in one, giving them the perfect excuse to cut a blood path out again.

She'd take that over stairs any day, is what she was getting at, here.